The Case for the Panthers to Sign Patrik Laine – The Hockey Writers – Florida Panthers

Patrik Laine is one of the most intriguing unrestricted free agents still available. It’s been widely rumored and speculated where he’ll end up. However, I think the Florida Panthers could be a tremendous potential fit for the Finnish goal-scoring winger. While one of his biggest issues has been his availability lately, given the Panthers’ roster construction, he wouldn’t be expected to contribute on the stat sheet every night.

Connection With Paul Maurice

There’s a handful of potential reasons why this pairing makes sense, but first and foremost is the familiarity with former Winnipeg Jets head coach and current Panthers head coach Paul Maurice. Laine had some of his best seasons under his tutelage. With the Jets, he appeared in 306 games and finished with 140 goals and 110 assists. His two standout seasons were a campaign with 36 goals and another with 44. Could it be possible for him to recapture some of that magic and productivity with a reunion?

Connection with Panthers Players

Another reason Laine to the Panthers makes sense is the Finnish connections throughout the team, which could help him feel comfortable and acclimate to a new organization and situation. The biggest connection is a player he has already played with for Team Finland at the 4 Nations Face-Off: Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov, a key club leader who can bring comfort to a new environment.

He’d also be playing with fellow Fins Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen, both of whom he played with at that tournament and could potentially play with again this season in Florida. Another familiar face he would be joining in South Florida is rugged, physical defenseman Niko Mikkola, also a teammate of his at that same event.

The last guy he has already experienced playing with came during his time in Winnipeg, and that is defenseman Dmitry Kulikov, who he was with for his career-best season. Now, how much of that can be attributed to the defensemen is probably not much, but if Florida can do anything to help him regain that 44-goal campaign, surrounding him with some familiar faces certainly can’t hurt.

Low Risk, High Reward

This potential signing would also make a lot of sense for the club because of its low-risk, high-reward nature, as well as the low-cost impact his potential deal could bring. The contract would be near the league minimum or slightly above, which fits right into the Panthers’ tight cap situation. Given the potential upside for Laine and his offensive production over his career, this would be a good signing. In every season he has played 50-plus, he has scored 20-plus goals; given that scoring touch and low-risk nature from a cap perspective, it seems well worth the attempt to sign him.

Potential Marchand Injury Replacement

With recent rumors and reports of a Brad Marchand injury and potential absence at the start of the season, it raises the question of whether Laine could be a potential short-term replacement. Given Marchand’s point production and Laine’s successful chemistry playing with two of his countrymen in Lundell and Luostarinen, he could be an answer in that spot during the injury window if he were to join the club.

Panthers Stylistic Fit

Laine could also be a match with the Panthers because of his size and frame, if he can fully utilize it and turn it into the physical, aggressive, tenacious style the organization is built on. His frame of 6-foot-4 and 208 pounds, if he taps into it, could give him an added layer of versatility.

Panthers Past Success Stories

The current Panthers front office has had their fair share of success stories with reclamation projects and developing players to take their game to the next level. The number one player to point to is Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who came in and changed his game and was able to change how he was viewed in the hockey landscape. Following this trend and idea could certainly be the case for Laine.

Sam Bennett, Sam Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe, and Gustav Forsling all represent players who, with a change of scenery to South Florida, blossomed and developed even further into the core integral pieces to the team’s Stanley Cup success. Laine could be another potential piece if they can harness the ability and talent that made him a second-overall pick and goal-scoring machine, and if he can adapt to the change of scenery and organizational philosophy.